1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable ultraviolet water purifier of the self contained type which is intended to be attached to a spigot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, it has been known to use ultraviolet light to purify water. Most of the systems using ultraviolet light are stationary flow-through systems which include a chamber having an ultraviolet light source with a water inlet and outlet. The water to be treated flows through the chamber past the ultraviolet light source which destroys the various viruses, bacteria and some other contaminants. Flow-through systems are typically used in residences, and commercial buildings to provide safe drinking water. While these systems work well for such purposes, they are not portable, require a power supply and are not suitable for providing small quantities of clean water. Various devices to treat small quantities of water have been proposed such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,424, which discloses a penlight sized ultraviolet light device, which is intended to be inserted into an open container containing water such as a cup. This is a fragile device with an exposed bulb and is not practical.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,495 B1 discloses a device similar to U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,424, except that it uses UV light emitting diodes, instead of a bulb. This device is also subject to the limitations of the device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,424.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,453 B2 discloses a portable container, which has a removable bottom to which an ultraviolet light source is attached.
The container is open at the top with a removable lid. This device does not provide a flow through system, is bulky, awkward to use, and does not lend itself to being easily stored and carried on an individual ready for use.
The portable ultraviolet water purifier of the invention can be easily carried by an individual and is not subject to the limitations of the prior art devices.